I got some questions about lead

So I'm watching this video on body repair , and they have a little section on leadwork, and at least it doesn't *look* as hard as I thought. From what I gather though, you need to use a skim coat of bondo on top of the lead to get it smooth? You don't want to sand it smooth so you don't give yourself lead poisoning, right?

I'm thinking of getting a kit from eastwood and trying my hand at it.

It seems pretty labor intensive but for the right area that you need the extra strength(like say the corner of a door or something) lead seems like the smart way to go. Plus it's fun to play with fire

 

You are ok, just don't use power tools that would get the lead into the air.
Use the Eastwood kit and hand file the lead. Finish with skim coat. Also, neutralize acids used for tinning. Btw just my experience. Others with more will comment.

 

i wanna be the next to comment even though i have no presonal experiance. my friends dad is an old timer and he told me that you cannot add to a leaded area cause you will end up heating up the area that you just finished and it will fall out. so add enough to sand down to you dont need to add any more when your done. he told me its "ALMOST" like soldering copper except you dont use flux and its not as easy. let me know how the eastwood kit works cause i have thought about givin it a try. only live once right?!

 

thanks spicoli I'll let you know what happens as soon as I score a fender here in Los Angeles to try it out on ! I put an ad up in the wanted section, maybe I'll get lucky and score one to practice on for free

 

Don't waste your time. If you have rust, weld in new metal. If you have a dent, straighten it. In either case use bondo to finish it out. Bondo done right will last for several *decades*, if not centuries (haven't been here long enough to test the centuries mark yet).
~ Paul
aka "Tha Driver"

Headline: APATHY RUNS RAMPANT - Nobody cares.

 

Hey,

Check the old posts on "lead and leading" we've kicked this about, alot
in the recent past.

You can, in fact add lead to a low area of your repair, but it will require
that area to be cooled completly, retinned and additional lead added. It
does require a good deal of skill to pull it off!

The application of plastic filler (Bondo) over lead is not a good pratice!
Plastic filler needs a rough surface to hold on to, not something that lead
is known for, unless you rough it up with a file or grinder*NOT RECOMEND-
ED*

Lead was still used on high ware areas ie: door jambs and door skins, even
after plastic filler had largely bumped it from the collision repair industry,
but never under plastic filler.

DO NOT GRIND OR SAND LEAD WITH AIR OR ELETRICAL TOOLS!

Swankey Devils C.C.

 

Thanks pimpin! I actually did a search for lead, and got a ton of hits but none were leading related, I'll search for 'leading' and see what it says....hopefully it'll make more sense, unfortunately in the vid they just used a cheesegrater on it and said something about filler or smoothing it or something, and left it at that. I'll do some more searching and see what happens.

How are you supposed to get the lead smooth without killing yourself? Hand sanding? I'll keep lookin'...thanks for the help!

edit: Ok I searched for lead and leading, and no dice on actual body leading...I searched the tech archives and no dice on body leading, but tons of other cool stuff to read!

 

Use a bodyfile(vixen) to file the lead when it has cooled completly then finish up with 80 grit sand paper and a sanding block.